Method

For the soufflé:

1.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2.

Whisk egg whites together with half the sugar until to stiff peaks (like meringue mix).

3.

Melt the chocolate and butter together.

4.

Mix the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar together until the sugar has dissolved, then add the flour, folding in with a metal spoon. Add the chocolate and butter mixture, then very gently fold in the meringue.

5.

Butter tinfoil cups and spoon in the mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes in a pre-heated oven @ 180C.

6.

Allow to chill, then wrap in cling film and freeze (if you want to).

7.

When ready to use, preheat the oven to 180C, defrost the soufflés at room temperature then bake again for 4 ½ minutes.

8.

Turn the soufflés out and serve with the roasted figs.

For the figs::

1.

Cut top and bottom off the figs and then put a small cross in the top.

2.

Sprinkle the sugar into a small non stick frying pan frying pan and dissolve. Warm through until completely dissolved, add the butter and melt combining the two.

3.

Add the port and reduce by half.

4.

Add the orange juice and zest.

5.

Add the figs to the pan and baste with the sauce. The figs will open up slightly and look very pretty.

6.

Serve the chocolate soufflé with 3 figs on the side. Drizzle the port and orange sauce around the plate and put a dollop of crème fraîche on top of the figs.